February 2015

1

Rabbani

Afghanistan: The ministers confirmed on January 28 (including Salahuddin Rabbani as foreign minister; see January 12) are sworn in.Japan: In gubernatorial elections in Aichi, incumbent Hideaki Omura wins 80.6% of the vote and Tamiko Komatsu 19.4%. Turnout is 34.9%.

Essid

Baccouche

Tunisia: Prime minister-designate Habib Essid announces a new government lineup, with Slim Chaker as finance minister and other key ministers as in the one named on January 23 (including Taieb Baccouche as foreign minister; see January 5). On February 5 the government is approved by 166 members of the 217-seat parliament. It takes office February 6.

2

Czech Republic: Eva Valjentová becomes acting governor of Karlovarský kraj following the resignation of Josef Novotný on January 31.Trinidad and Tobago: In a cabinet reshuffle, Carl Alfonso is named national security minister.

3

Nicholson

Tonelli

Canada: Foreign Minister John Baird resigns. International Trade Minister Edward Fast is named acting foreign minister. On February 9 Rob Nicholson is appointed foreign minister and Jason Kenney to replace him as defence minister.Costa Rica: Security Minister Celso Gamboa announces his resignation. On February 5 Gustavo Mata is named to replace him, effective February 16.Italy: Sergio Mattarella is sworn in as president.Monaco: Gilles Tonelli is named to succeed José Badia (leaving office February 22) as foreign minister.

6

Timor-Leste: Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão resigns. On February 11 Rui Maria de Araújo is nominated as prime minister with a government including Hernâni Coelho as foreign minister, Longuinhos Monteiro as interior minister, Santina Cardoso as finance minister, and Cirilo Cristóvão remaining defense minister. The government is sworn in on February 16.United States: The mayor of Toledo, D. Michael Collins, dies. Paula Hicks-Hudson, acting since February 1, succeeds as mayor.

Houthi

Yemen: Rebels in control of the capital issue a constitutional declaration announcing that a Revolutionary Committee under the leadership of Muhammad Ali al-Houthi will act as interim government and will create a Presidential Council. On February 7 the committee appoints Maj.Gen. Mahmud al-Subaihi as acting defense minister and Maj.Gen. Jalal al-Ruwaishan as acting interior minister; they held the substantive posts in the previous government. On February 21 the deposed Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi escapes to Aden where he claims to resume his duties as president, withdrawing his January resignation.

7

India: In parliamentary elections in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party wins 54.3% of the vote (67 of 70 seats), the Bharatiya Janata Party 32.2% (3), and the Indian National Congress 9.7% (0). Turnout is 67.1%. On February 14 Arvind Kejriwal is sworn in as chief minister.

9

Zvizdic

Cavara

Bosnia and Herzegovina: The presidency designates Denis Zvizdic as prime minister. On February 11 he is approved by the House of Representatives (28-5).Bosnia and Herzegovina: The parliament of the Federation confirms Marinko Cavara as the entity's president.

12

Moldova: Parliament rejects Iurie Leanca's proposed government, which receives only 42 votes (51 needed). On February 14 President Nicolae Timofti designates a new prime minister, Chiril Gaburici. On February 18 his proposed cabinet is named, like Leanca's including Viorel Cibotaru as defense minister, Oleg Balan as interior minister, and Natalia Gherman to remain foreign minister and Anatul Arapu finance minister. It is confirmed by parliament the same day (60 votes).United States: The Senate approves Ashton Carter as defense secretary (93-5). He is sworn in on February 17.Zambia: President Edgar Lungu completes his cabinet, with himself remaining defense minister.

13

China: Liu Cigui is elected governor of Hainan.United States: The governor of Oregon, John Kitzhaber, resigns, effective February 18, when Secretary of State Kate Brown is sworn in as governor.

14

Palaszczuk

Australia: Annastacia Palaszczuk is sworn in as premier of Queensland.Pakistan: The federal minister for Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir affairs, Barjees Tahir, is given additional charge as governor of Gilgit-Baltistan (sworn in February 16).

15

Croatia: Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is sworn in as president. She takes office February 18.Germany: In state elections in Hamburg, the Social Democratic Party wins 45.7% of the vote (58 of 121 seats), the Christian Democratic Union 15.9% (20), the Greens 12.3% (15), The Left 8.5% (11), the Free Democratic Party 7.4% (9), and the Alternative for Germany 6.1% (8). Turnout is 56.9%.

16

Lee

South Korea: Parliament confirms Lee Wan Koo as prime minister (148-128). He is sworn in on February 17.

Brantley

Saint Kitts and Nevis: In parliamentary elections, Team Unity wins 7 of 11 seats, the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party 3, and the Nevis Reformation Party 1. On February 18 Timothy Harris is sworn in as prime minister. He also becomes finance and national security minister in the cabinet sworn in on February 22, while Mark Brantley becomes foreign minister.

17

Peru: In a cabinet reshuffle, José Luis Pérez Guadalupe is named interior minister.

18

Greece: Parliament elects Prokopis Pavlopoulos as president; he receives 233 votes against 30 for Nikos Alivizatos and 32 abstentions.Lebanon: Parliament fails in the 19th attempt to elect a president, the session being postponed to March 11.

19

France: The government of Prime Minister Manuel Valls survives a no-confidence vote in parliament; only 234 vote in favour of the motion (289 needed).

20

India: The chief minister of Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi, resigns. Nitish Kumar is asked to form a government. He is sworn in as chief minister on February 22.

22

Comoros: In the second round of parliamentary elections, the Union for the Development of the Comoros wins 29.1% of the vote and 6 seats (for a total of 8), the Democratic Rally of the Comoros 21.3% and 2 (2), Juwa 20.5% and 6 (7), the Convention for the Revival of the Comoros 10.1% and 2 (2), and independents 11% and 3 (3). Turnout is 73.1%. In addition to the 24 popularly elected seats, 9 will be filled by nominations from the three island assemblies.Réunion: Former prefect (1963-66) Alfred Diefenbacher dies.

23

24

Anguilla: Former governor (1987-89) Geoffrey Owen Whittaker dies.Canada: George Tuccaro is reappointed as commissioner of the Northwest Territories (to May 10, 2016) and Douglas George Phillips as commissioner of Yukon (to Jan. 31, 2018).

Levintal

Russia: President Vladimir Putin appoints Aleksandr Levintal as acting governor of Yevreyskaya autonomous oblast as Aleksandr Vinnikov's term would have expired February 25.United States: In mayoral elections in Chicago, incumbent Rahm Emanuel wins 45.6% of the vote, Jesús García 33.5%, and Willie Wilson 10.7%. Turnout is 33.6%. A runoff will be held on April 7.

25

Boulama

Niger: Aïchatou Kané Boulama is appointed foreign minister.

26

27

Russia: President Vladimir Putin appoints Natalya Komarova, whose regular term as governor is expiring, as acting governor of Khanty-Mansi autonomous okrug.Russia: Former head of the administration (1991-95) and governor (1995-97) of Nizhny Novgorod oblast Boris Nemtsov is assassinated.

28

Lesotho: In parliamentary elections, the Democratic Congress wins 47 of 120 seats, the All Basotho Convention 46, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy 12, and the Basotho National Party 7.